The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1887-01-13

spectlve counties. (See Section
4072, Revised Statutes. amended in
1860
A careful survey of the facts con
nected with tho examination o.
teachers in Ohio leads mo to the
following conclusions:
1. There are too many examln
ing boards.
2. There are too many exanina-
tions every year.
8. There should bea check or
the power which appoints city, vii
lage and county examiners.
4. The present methods employ
ed In the examination of teachers
are defective.
TOO MANY EXAMINING BOARDS.
Ours Is State, and not ioca
system of education, and for this
reason State standard OF qaalifi
cations for teaching should be es'
tablished and maintained. Al
present we have one hundred and
sixty i've boards of examiners, amt
this means chat we have that num-
Der Of standards OF examination in
Ohio. Evidently, a State stand
ard is impossible with so many dis
tinct Boards of Examiners. a large
body of professional teachers Is es
scnt;al 10 the success of great sys-
tenn of public education. The mum
ber of professional teachers in the
public schools of Ohio may he esti-
mated from ne number Of teachers
holding life certificates, and this
number Is very small IN comparison
with the entire number Of teachers
necessary TO supply the schools
Ninety ght per cent of the teach
ers of Ohio do not hold professional
Or life certificates. With 4 large
number Of independent Examining
Boards, this state of affairs cannot
be materially changed.
TOO MANY EXAMINATIONS.
Under this head my remarks ap-
ply TO county examinations only.
Within the ear for which this re-
port is made, county examiners
held fourteen hundred and thirty
fye meetings for the examination
of teachers, for which they were
paid $36,S23. IS. This sum docs
not include bills for stationery,
printing and other incidental ex-
penses. At many of tho examina-
tons there were fewer than a doz-
en- applica cts, and in some ipstan-
ces the number of applicants was
but two or three. In my opinion
one examination each month would
be sufficient TO meet the needs of
the schools in any county of the
State. 1. would not be difficult to
show that twelve examinations
woul! cost less than eighteen.
A CHECK ON TIE APPOINTING POW
ER NEEDED.
City and Village Boards of Ex-
aminers ale appointed by boards of
Education, and County Boards of
Examiners are appointed by Pro-
bate Judges. This leads directly to-
ward favori,ism in the certi6cating
and employing Of teachers. Mem
bers of Boards of Education and
Probate Judges are elected by the
people. and, in consequence they
are subject more or less to party
and personal Influence. This is toe
seen in the appointment
of examiners and in the certificat-
ing and employing OF teachers.it be
ing difficult for partisan judges,par-
IIsan examiners and partisan mem
bers Of Boards OF Education TO re
fuse to grant the requests of their
personal supporters.
School Examiners must be com
,etent; they mus! be residents OF
lie district, county or Safe for
ghich they are appointed they |
must not be connected with any /!
norma! school or with the book
business. and 10 two members of a
county, CITY or village Board Of
Examiners can Ae connected with
he schools OF the same district
These constitute The cniy legal
:hecks on The power which appoints
;cilcoi Examiners Ia Ohio. TIE
erm. "competent," admits Of a
that is too vide for the
'urpose. and il is not strange, there
ore, that men OF incorporate, pre-.
ane and other immoral habits b -xe
een appointed 10 the high and re-
ponsibie position of School Exam
aers in this State. is the teach
rs of the children are required 10 :
ossess certain literary and moral {
qualifications before they can en-